Tuesday, August 28, 2007

So - Joel Spolsky has famously (well, famously among a certain type of techies) spelled out a simple test to evaluate how good at software development a shop is.

It's really simple:

The Joel Test 1. Do you use source control? 2. Can you make a build in one step? 3. Do you make daily builds? 4. Do you have a bug database? 5. Do you fix bugs before writing new code? 6. Do you have an up-to-date schedule? 7. Do you have a spec? 8. Do programmers have quiet working conditions? 9. Do you use the best tools money can buy? 10. Do you have testers? 11. Do new candidates write code during their interview? 12. Do you do hallway usability testing?

Ok, so the question is - can we come up with a similar list for infrastructure/operations groups? I'm particularly coming at this from the POV of an enterprise client group - desktop/laptop/mobile systems - but I suspect similar issues will apply across many types of infrastructure.

Although there is a defined scoring criteria for SEMA - CMMI - there is not such a scorecard for ITIL that I'm aware of. (This in no way proves that no white crows exist.) Hmm, could there actually be an ISO standard in the works? Oh my.

If an ISO standard is approaching, I think a Joel Test for infrastructure is very badly needed!

So, here's a late night, staying up late to catch the eclipse, first draft, unconsidered stab at it.

This translates easily. Can you deploy a system in one step, fully automated, the same way every time?

3. Do you make daily builds?

A bit trickier.

4. Do you have a bug database?

Same. But more of a problem/incident database than strictly speaking a bug database.

Don't worry Joel, you can use FogBugz for this, too. :-)

5. Do you fix bugs before writing new code?

Ah.... might have to punt on this for the moment, while giving a quick nod to the canard about choosing between delivering new systems vs. refactoring creaky systems that are held together with duct tape. (It's a false dilemma. More on that in a future draft?)

6. Do you have an up-to-date schedule?

Should be adaptable. "Do you know who is working on what tasks, and have an idea when they should be done?"

7. Do you have a spec?

Yeah!

8. Do programmers have quiet working conditions?

Yeah! (s/programmers/sysadmins/)

9. Do you use the best tools money can buy?

Yeah!

10. Do you have testers?

Yeah!

11. Do new candidates write code during their interview?

Ummm... ? Do new candidates fix broken systems during their interview? Do new candidates review system requirements specs written by BA's and see the obvious problems? ("Ah, you are specifying that the system uses MS Java Virtual Machine - that is end of life, and won't be available on Vista, never mind Linux or Mac. Suggest you specify Sun Java instead.")

12. Do you do hallway usability testing?

Do you have a pilot group of real users? Do you use them while it's still early enough to make a difference? Do you really try hard to get their feedback? Do you listen to it?

So, to make this Joel-Test-ish, let's summarize:

1. Do you use version control for documentation, scripts, binaries, and other artifacts needed to build and run your systems? 2. Can you deploy a system in one step? 3. Do you monitor your environment for compliance with its desired state and to see deviations (unusual events) when they happen? 4. Do you have a bug (issue/problem) database? 5. (not sure this works, but:) Do you think you have to choose between fixing problems and deploying new systems? 6. Do you have an up-to-date schedule? 7. Do you have a spec? 8. Do sysadmins have quiet working conditions? 9. Do you use the best tools money can buy? 10. Do you have testers? 11. (needs work - suggestions?) 12. Do you pilot to real users?

As for me, I've refused to purchase any software online if I find myself staring at Digital River. This has directly resulted in thousands of dollars in lost sales for vendors who choose to use DR.

Sad to see it hasn't changed at all in 6 years.

For your reading pleasure, here are just a few of the many, many, many DR emails I've received. Names obscured to protect the innocent.

I needed to read your website BEFORE digital river took $164.00 twice out of my bank account, while sending me nothing! I am a college student and needed to update my trial version of microsoft office so I could finish my internet class assignment. I ordered the update only to receive a message saying that "there was a problem with your payment". After checking my bank account, I saw that there should be no problem. So I naively backed out and placed my order a second time. There was still a payment problem. After checking my account the second time, I notice that Digital River had secured $164 twice out of my available funds in my bank account, and yet I had received nothing from them!!! No email, no way to contact them! I immediately sent an email to customer service, telling them that they better not take that money out of my account and that I want a full refund. Anyways, got a zero on my assignment (received no product), Digital River took both transactions of $164 twice out of my bank account, after I sent a refund request, and all I got two days later is an email that says they will send me a refund within 5-7 days. Meanwhile, I have no money left, no software program, and will fail another assignment or two before they refund me my money! There goes my GPA!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely,Amber W.

I also was duped in the same manner, only the software I purchased totally crashed my PC. Now I am unable to even get through to D.R. to talk about a refund, but I have in fact found a better way to deal with there incompetence, I just called my Credit Card provider and was assured that they would receive none of the $ 61.00 that they charged me for software that neither worked, but did manage to crash a brand new notebook. I have tried as you did to solve the problem without being rude or argumentative, but all I received in return was errors on the website and absolutely no customer service what so ever. I would suggest to anyone even thinking of buying from “Digital River” to close your browser and go to the local software store and never look back! Regards, Steven M.

I just found your article on the internet re Digital River and your experiences with them. I'm having similar problems with DR in that I purchased a MS Money program, unknowingly through them or not understanding at the time that this is a 3rd party vendor, and now that I had a computer breakdown, had to do a restore, and need to re-download my copy of MS Money, what a nightmare? Can't reach them, can't get a response, no acknowledgment of anything, and if I had seen your article first, I would have known better. It appears to me that they are no better than when you had your experience in 2001. Now it appears I will be forced to re-purchase the program to get it on my "restored" computer and for obvious reasons, I'm very unhappy not to mention the number of hours I've already spent trying to get through to them.

Just wondered if you have heard from others with similar experiences, and I would like to get my story out on the internet for others to see, however I'm not sure how to do that. Maybe you could clue me how to do this. These people (Digital River) should be out of business. This is rediculous.

Thanks for listening.

Sincerely,

Tim A.

I have just finished reading about your travails - a mild term in view of the frustrations you encountered - while trying to get some help to download pc cillin internet security 14 from Digital River bought on 10 March 06. I have spent some 12 hours trying to do this over and over again because I figure with my lack of computer sophistication that I was doing something wrong. Finally, four days ago I gave up and sent for help via the attached email. I have received NOTHING in response. And of course I have paid for the product and have an order confirmation, serial number. Oh, how I wish I had read your long painful message first.Any advice would be appreciated as I am not protected at the moment from viruses and the like.Sincerely,John C.PS I am sending a copy of this to Digital River but I am not expecting any thing will be done.

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